On the 28th of September, a disastrous 7.5 magnitude earthquake hit Indonesia, taking innocent lives. One of the unfortunate casualties is 21-year-old, Anthonius Gunawan Agung.

Agung was the only one left in the control tower at the Air Traffic Tower of Mutiara Sis Al Jutri Airport in Palu on that day. But he didn’t die in vain. He sacrificed his life to make sure a plane, with hundreds of people, made it safely off the ground.

All of his colleagues ran for their lives due to the terrifying impact of the earthquake. The tower began to sway and the walls started to crack. Despite this, Agung hesitated to leave the tower. He stayed to ensure the safe take-off of the Batik Air Flight 6321, which, at that time, was on the runway.

Agung jumped off the fourth floor of the trembling tower as soon as the plane took off safely. He thought the building could collapse any time. As a result, he broke his leg and suffered internal injuries in the fall.

His co-workers at the Air Traffic Tower immediately rushed him to the nearest hospital. They prepared a helicopter from Balikpakan in Kalimantan to bring him to a bigger hospital after a doctor advised he be taken out of the city to receive better treatment.

Unfortunately, Agung breathed his last breath before the helicopter even reached Palu. His colleagues were devastated upon the news that the young Air Traffic Controller didn’t make it.

In spite of his passing, Agung will be remembered by everyone in the world. The aviation industry, along with flying schools such as OMNI Airline Training Academy, will regard him as a brave young fellow who made sure he fulfilled his job – to secure the lives of hundreds of people before looking after his own.

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